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OPKO Health Reports Transfer of Licensed Rights to RAYALDEE® in Japan to Vifor
MIAMI, May 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OPKO Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: OPK) today announced a transfer of the licensed rights to RAYALDEE® in Japan from Japan
About this update from Opko Health, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"MIAMI, May 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OPKO Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: OPK) today announced a transfer of the licensed rights to RAYALDEE® in Japan from Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) to Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma (VFMCRP). On May 17, 2021, JT notified OPKO of its decision to terminate the exclusive agreement with OPKO’s subsidiary, EirGen Pharma, Ltd., for the development and commercialization of RAYALDEE® in Japan based on a comprehensive review of its development pipeline. Concurrently with the termination of JT’s rights, EirGen and VFMCRP have agreed to transfer the rights to RAYALDEE® in Japan to VFMCRP by including Japan into the existing exclusive agreement between the two companies, executed on May 9, 2016, for the development and commercialization of RAYALDEE® in Europe and certain other international markets for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and vitamin D insufficiency. About RAYALDEE® RAYALDEE® is an extended release formulation of calcifediol, a prohormone of calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D3. The product is the only medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that sufficiently raises serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D to effectively lower blood levels of intact parathyroid hormone. RAYALDEE® is approved to treat SHPT in adults with stage 3 or 4 CKD and vitamin D insufficiency in the U.S. and 11 European countries. It is not yet approved for patients with stage 5 CKD on dialysis. About Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma (a joint company with Fresenius Medical Care) is part of the Vifor Pharma Group (VPG), a global pharmaceutical company. VPG aims to become the global leader in iron deficiency, nephrology and cardio-renal therapies. The company is a partner of choice for pharmaceuticals and innovative patient-focused solutions. VPG strives to help patients around the world with severe and chronic diseases lead better, healthier lives. The company develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products for precision patient care and holds a leading position in all its core business activities. VPG is headquartered in Switzerland, and listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange (SIX Swiss Exchange, VIFN, ISIN: CH0364749348). About OPKO Health, Inc. OPKO is a multinational biopharmaceut...